Recording and compliance
Recording states, pausing for payment capture, on-demand recording, and consent-restricted calls.
These procedures are mandatory rather than discretionary, which is why they are documented apart from the other call controls.
Read this before taking payments. Never read a card number aloud, and never type one into the keypad without pausing the recording first. Once audio reaches storage it cannot be removed.
Recording status indicators
Whether a call is being recorded is shown above the caller's name, as a coloured dot and a word. Check it at the start of every call. Not all calls are recorded, and the rules differ by team, by queue and sometimes by the individual caller.
| Indicator | Meaning | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Rec (red dot) | Audio and transcript are being captured. | Nothing. Pause before any sensitive details are spoken or typed. |
| Recording paused (amber dot) | You have paused capture. Nothing is being recorded or transcribed. | Resume as soon as the sensitive part of the call is over. |
| Not recording (grey dot) | This call is not being captured at all. | Check why — it is either an on-demand call or a consent-restricted one. |
The indicator is reliable. The state shown always reflects what is actually happening to the audio. If a pause cannot be applied, the system refuses it and reports an error rather than showing Recording paused over a running recorder. If you see a message where the controls are, act on it — the pause did not take effect.
Pausing for payment capture
Before a caller reads out a card number, a security code, or any other sensitive detail, pause the recording. The control sits immediately to the right of the recording indicator.
- Tell the caller you are pausing the recording before they give you their details.
- Select the pause control. The indicator changes to Recording paused and the control becomes a play symbol.
- Take the details.
- Select the play control to resume. The indicator returns to Rec.
What pausing covers
Pausing stops three things at once:
- The audio recording — nothing is captured while paused.
- The transcript — spoken words are not written down either.
- Your screen — digits typed on the keypad appear as dots, so a card number cannot be read over your shoulder or captured in a screen recording.
Resume when you are finished. Pausing is for the sensitive part of the call only. Leaving a call paused means the rest of it is not recorded, which may breach your organisation's policy and leaves no evidence of what was agreed.
If the pause does not work a message appears where the controls are and the indicator continues to read Rec. The call is still being recorded. Do not take card details — ask the caller to hold, and follow your organisation's fallback procedure for taking payments.
On-demand recording
Some calls are not recorded unless you choose to record them. On these, the indicator reads Not recording from the start, and instead of a pause control you see a Start recording button.
- Tell the caller you are about to start recording, and why.
- Select Start recording. The indicator changes to Rec.
- Select Stop recording to end capture before the call finishes, if required.
The control shows a brief pause while the instruction is carried out. The indicator only changes once the change has actually taken effect, so treat the indicator, not the button, as the truth.
Announce it first. On an on-demand call the caller has not been told at the outset that they are being recorded. Say so before you start. If they object, do not start recording and follow your organisation's guidance.
The rule is set by your organisation and can differ by queue or by the number the caller dialled. You do not choose it and cannot change it from this screen.
Consent-restricted calls
On some calls the caller has declined to be recorded. The indicator reads Not recording and a line beneath the controls explains why:
The caller did not consent to being recorded, so this call is not being recorded.There is no control to override this. The decision was captured when the call arrived and is applied for the whole call.
What this means for you
- There will be no recording to refer back to. Take fuller notes in wrap-up than you otherwise would.
- There will be no transcript. The transcript panel stays empty for the whole call.
- Do not attempt to record by any other means. Recording a caller who has declined is unlawful in many places.
If a caller changes their mind partway through, recording cannot be switched on from this screen. Note their agreement in wrap-up and, if a recording is needed, follow your organisation's procedure for arranging one.